


These Little Wonders

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Angst, Complicated Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Fluff, Feelings, Friendship, Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reunions, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:14:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27341815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It started with a gunshot in the woods. It ended with planted evidence and a prison sentence.ORHiram Lodge sees an opportunity to rid himself of two nuisances at once and plants evidence to send Archie and Jughead to prison forcing both boys accept plea deals when it becomes obvious that they can't prove themselves innocent at a trial even when they are. When they get released on parole a year and a half later, they come home to more than one surprise.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 25
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

It started with a gunshot in the woods. It ended with planted evidence and a prison sentence.

Somehow, Hiram Lodge had implicated both Archie and Jughead in the murder of Cassidy Bullock in Shadow Lake. There wasn't enough solid evidence to say for sure that they killed him but Hiram had managed to pile on enough circumstantial evidence and brought in enough witnesses, that everyone suspected had been paid off but couldn't prove it, to testify about their personalities and previous criminal activities that it was near impossible to prove their innocence to a jury.

In the end, against the advice of Mary Andrews, both had accepted plea deals for a shorter prison stay rather than risking a trial where they could potentially be sentenced for much longer. It meant though, that they were both sentenced to four years. With them being only seventeen at the time they were sent to Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention center until their eighteenth birthdays when they'd be transferred to Shankshaw Prison in upstate New York. Because Jughead was older, he was transferred first only a few months after the sentencing with Archie following four months later.

Much to her and Veronica's frustration, both boys decided that it was best to break up with them since they'd be in jail for a long time and come out of it as convicted felons which neither took to kindly. Betty, for her part, drove all the way to the jail multiple times to see Jughead in an attempt to get him to see reason until he'd began refusing to see her and sending her letters back unopened. It had only served to piss her off even more but eventually she'd stopped trying to get through to him, even when she had something major to inform him of.

It had gone much the same for Veronica and it made Betty wonder if Jughead and Archie were speaking to each other inside the jail because their combined efforts to shut them out seemed too coordinated for anything else. It was beyond frustrating but there was nothing either of them could do about it so they forced themselves to focus on other things, which became much easier when they both discovered they were pregnant. 

When it came out, most people in the town had accused them of getting pregnant on purpose since it seemed too much of a coincidence and wouldn't listen when they insisted that they hadn't. They'd found out later that they'd both gotten pregnant around the same time because they'd both been on medication that interacted with their birth control and rendered it ineffective during the same period. They'd all had the flu, including Jughead and Archie, though she was unsure who had gotten it first and spread it to the rest, and they'd been prescribed some high dose antibiotics.

The doctor hadn't told them that it could affect their birth control so they'd gone on like normal without any other precautions and it had ended with them both expecting babies. Their attempts to tell Jughead and Archie of this development had ultimately failed due to their stubborn natures and determination not to let them get involved with their whole jail stay. 

It hadn't gone over well with either of their parents. Her mother had flipped out, going on about the Jones men and the irresponsibility of teenagers for an entire hour before she finally seemed to tire herself out and leave the room in a huff. Veronica's parents had also flipped out, calling Archie a deadbeat, before telling Veronica that they'd pay for an abortion so that he didn't ruin her life further. Veronica had already been angry because of the knowledge that her father had gotten Archie and Jughead locked up in the first place and that had been the last straw.

She'd packed up that night and showed up at Betty's door. She'd let her in and they'd started working out a plan together which they executed within the next couple of weeks. Veronica had called up Attorney McCoy and added Betty as a business partner and split the business evenly between them to safeguard in case her parents attempted to mess with it in any way before starting the paperwork to have them both emancipated. 

The paperwork went through the system quickly, helped along by Attorney McCoy, and they were both declared legal adults only two weeks later. After that they no longer needed someone to cosign for them so they found a small house that was situated only slightly over the line splitting the town and put them in the south side, which neither of them minded as it was far enough away from their parents, and had been on the market for a long time. Veronica had managed to talk down the initial price so they were able to afford it while still keeping part of the budget to buy furniture and even give the house a new coat of paint.

With the help of Fred and Mary Andrews as well as their friends, they were able to convert the basement into an office for them to work out of while setting up the biggest bedroom as a nursery. The house itself had four bedrooms so they could technically have two nurseries but they'd decided to just use one room and leave the other as a guest room since their children would be so close in age. Neither of them minded sharing a nursery and actually thought it would make it easier for them because they could check on them easily in the middle of the night if needed.

Veronica cut ties with her parents entirely, even going so far as to stop accepting allowance from them, and Betty began working alongside her at Pop's. Both of them dropped out of Riverdale High and instead took the GED test so that they could focus on working and preparing for the babies. They became quiet a source of gossip in the town with all of the upheaval but they mainly ignored it and focused on doing everything they could to make the best of the situation. 

It was hard to go through all of it without Archie and Jughead but they were there for each other on the hard days and they still had their friends around them for support. They also had FP, Fred, and Mary. They didn't have their own parents, too much bad blood in both cases, but they still had adult support to lean on when it all became too much which is all they could truly ask for.

* * *

_**EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER** _

There was a lot of activity in the house for it to only be five in the morning but it was a routine they were used to by this point. Poppy and Liam were sitting in their high chairs eating dry cheerios happily while she and Veronica were moving around the kitchen packing up their diaper bags for daycare. They'd both poured coffee into large mugs and were sipping them as they moved around to tide them over until they got to Pop's where they'd have breakfast together before starting work as they did most days.

After sticking a small bag of snacks into Poppy's bag, she double checked that everything was actually inside before sitting it next to her bag on the counter and Liam's bag joined the group shortly after allowing them to take a slight break before they had to get the kids cleaned up and dressed to go. Betty leaned back on the counter while Veronica scrolled through her phone, going over the schedule for the week ahead, and just watched the kids. 

They were babbling to each other happily and giggling. They were happy this morning which meant that it would likely be a good day. When they woke up cranky, it was almost a given that they'd receive a call from the day care about some incident or another involving one of their children or, on really bad days, both of them. Looking at them, you'd almost think they were twins if you didn't know any better and, in fact, she was almost certain that the lady at the daycare thought she and Veronica were married and shared the children despite them having different last names.

Poppy had gotten Jughead's dark hair and olive toned skin making her look darker than Betty herself, though she had gotten her green eyes, while Liam looked like Veronica with her dark hair and eyes but his skin was slightly lighter than hers due to Archie's genes. As a result, both babies had similar coloring and looked very much like they could be related, especially given their closeness in age. Poppy had been born only a week before Liam, after all.

"We should get them dressed." Veronica said after a few minutes, slipping her phone in her pocket. "The daycare opens in thirty minutes."

"Alright." Betty agreed, sitting her now empty mug in the sink before moving to unclip Poppy from the high chair and pull her out. 

She clapped happily as Betty tickled her sides playfully as she moved toward the stairs making her smile. It was hard becoming a mother at seventeen, especially without the support of the father, but she wouldn't trade it for anything. She loved Poppy more than life itself and she couldn't imagine life without her now and she knew that Veronica felt the same about Liam. They'd been through hell and back but it was worth it for this.

She ducked into the nursery once she made it to the top of the stairs and she sat Poppy on the floor beside the outfit she'd picked out the night before, before she sat down herself and began to remove Poppy's PJ's. Veronica mirrored her position next to her, sitting a box of wipes and two diapers directly between them, and they worked quickly to get them dressed.

She dressed Poppy in a long sleeved white onesie with a purple unicorn on the front and a pair of plain purple leggings that matched before slipping a pair of white socks and sandles on her feet. Veronica put Liam in a similar outfit only his was dark green and had a dinosaur on it instead of a unicorn. It occurred to Betty that maybe people had a point in thinking they were twins as they tended to dress them similarly all the time but it didn't really bother her so she didn't see a point in mentioning it. 

As they were leaving the house, she grabbed their coats from the coat rack and slung them over their diaper bags. They couldn't wear their jackets in their carseats and they had blankets to cover them for the ride to the daycare but she knew that they were sometimes allowed outside to play at daycare and they'd need their jackets then.

Veronica turned on the heat and the radio as they began the drive to the daycare and they sang along to it quietly. The daycare was near the center of town which was only a twenty minute drive from their house which meant it didn't take them long to get there this early in the morning as there weren't very many people on the roads. They took them inside and dropped them off with kisses from both of them before climbing back in the car and driving to Pop's.

Pop Tate greeted them with a smile and a bit of small talk before they clocked in and relieved the women who'd worked the overnight shift. Pop covered the early morning customers, though the rush typically didn't start for another hour, while they finally sat down for some breakfast.

"So have we made a decision on the baby swim classes or not?" She asked while cutting into her pancakes and Veronica hummed lightly.

"I still think they're a little small but Sarah from our mommy group says she put her son in lessons when he was only six months old and he's fine so I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing." She said. "After all, swimming is a good skill to learn."

"And we'll be there the whole time." Betty said with a nod. "If we don't like it after the first class, we don't have to go back. We can get them swimming lessons when they're older if it's necessary." 

"Yeah." Veronica nodded. "Do you think Cheryl would bring the twins? They're a bit older but I think they're still young enough."

"They're almost two." Betty reminded her. "I think there's a different class for kids their age."

"Right, of course." Veronica said, shaking her head.

"We'll be there together." Betty said with a smile. "I'm sure between the two of us we can make sure that nothing bad happens to the kids."

"You're right." She agreed. "But I'm still going to ask to see the teacher's certification before our kids ever touch the water."

"Fair." Betty agreed.

She and Veronica had similar conversations much of the time regarding the kids. With the absence of Archie and Jughead and their own parents, they'd come to rely on one another heavily and it had lead to them sort of co-parenting both of the kids, which she knew lent itself to the new rumor circulating around them that they were lesbian lovers. She couldn't really blame people for their assumptions, they did live in the same house and raise their kids together, but it wasn't anything like that. They were just best friends who had no one else to lean on.

FP came to visit Poppy sometimes and he was a firm presence in her life but it wasn't like he helped raise her, which wasn't a mark on his character as he was actually trying really hard to stay sober and be there for her, but it wasn't his responsibility which she understood completely. Fred and Mary were the same, very involved with both Liam and Poppy but not acting as parents for them. As a result, they'd sort of substituted as parents for each other's children until it became like a second nature. She fully understood that saying _It takes a village_ now, that was for sure. 

After breakfast, they went to work and began serving the people who trickled in until the late morning lull hit and allowed them a moment to take a break before the lunch rush came in. They were both sitting at the counter, Veronica playing a game on her phone and Betty reading a parenting article that caught her eye, when Fred came in. They both greeted him happily before Betty noticed the strange look on his face.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Andrews?" She asked.

"There's something you girls should know." He said.

"Has something happened?" Veronica asked, looking at him seriously.

"Mary got a call from Archie." He said, making both of them sit up straighter. "He and Jug have both got parole hearings coming up next week. There's a possibility that they'll get out early."

"Oh my god." Betty said in shock.

"They're coming home." Veronica said, seeming as struck as she was.

"Maybe." Fred said. "I just thought that you two should have a heads up so you weren't caught by surprise and this way, you can have a little bit of time to work out how to tell them about Liam and Poppy."

"How likely is it that they'll actually get out?" Betty asked.

"Mary seems to think that she can manage it." He said. "And I trust her."

"Okay." Betty said, nodding absently.

"Wow." Veronica echoed.

"They could be coming home as early as next week." Betty said. 

She certainly hadn't been prepared for this. Most of her was happy that she'd finally be able to see them after so long, another part of her was pissed all over again about them shutting her and Veronica out, and finally a very small part of her was scared about what their reaction would be to Liam and Poppy. Overall, she was wholly unprepared for their release.

"Are you two ready to face them again?" Fred asked gently, seeming genuinely concerned about them.

"We'll have to be." Veronica said.

Her response let her know that she was as unsure as Betty was herself. Neither of them had been prepared for this, Archie and Jughead had been sentenced with four years after all, but they'd have to figure it out. She knew it would likely be hard to tell them if they got out but she also knew they couldn't keep it from them, especially not in a town like Riverdale, and it was better if they heard it from them and not through the gossip mill. She just hoped that they'd be prepared for whatever reaction they got.


	2. Chapter 2

"Jones, time to go." The guard unlocked his cell door and he put his hands out to allow him to clamp the cuffs on before following after him towards the exit at the back of the prison where the transport van was waiting.

He wasn't the only one who had to appear in court today but there still weren't many in the van when he stepped inside though he did spot Archie near the back. The guard unsnapped his left cuff to string the chain through the metal loop on the back of the seat in front of him before clasping it back once more. The van pulled out only a few minutes later and he turned his head to look out the window, they weren't allowed to talk anyway, and let his mind wander.

When Mary had come to visit him and Archie to inform them of an upcoming parole hearing he hadn't quiet believed it was real. He'd honestly expected Hiram Lodge to interfere and keep them in jail for their full sentence, and probably more if he could swing it, but it seemed that they'd been forgotten about entirely. It kind of made him wonder what was happening on the outside that would make the mob boss drop the ball on them but whatever it was, he was less than inclined to figure out. At least for now.

He was still skeptical about them getting out and he fully expected that they'd be denied parole and sent right back to Shankshaw. They'd been through too much in the last few years, he no longer believed in happy endings. He and Archie had taken a plea deal and been charged with manslaughter rather than risking going down for full on murder and in his experience people with their records didn't usually get released. Mary was a good lawyer but he wouldn't allow himself to get his hopes up because he knew it would just hurt more when they were denied if he did.

The trip to the courthouse where the proceedings were held took two hours and it occurred to him that this was as close to Riverdale as he had been in over a year. It was strange to think that the people he'd grown up around were just in the next town over. That thought inevitably brought to mind a blond ponytail and green eyes and he couldn't help but wonder where she was now. 

He'd cut Betty out of his life when he'd been convicted because he didn't want her to spend her life waiting for him. He loved her enough to let her go even when it felt like ripping his own heart out of his chest. It had hurt to receive her letters and not open them and it had hurt even worse when they'd stopped coming at all but it gave him hope that she'd finally decided to move on with her life. She was smart and had already been planning to go to Yale before everything had happened and he hoped that she'd achieved her dream. He wanted her to get everything she wanted out of life even if that meant he wouldn't be in it anymore. He knew that Archie had followed his example and cut Veronica off in the same way and, though they'd never been the closest, he hoped the best for her as well. 

He allowed himself a few more minutes to think about the life he'd had before all of this before he forced it all out of his mind. He needed to ground himself in the reality of what was likely to happen and squash that little niggling feeling of hope that seemed to keep popping up no matter how many times he attempted to get rid of it. There was no point in reminiscing on a life that he'd never be able to get back, he needed to focus on the hearing he'd been brought here for and keep reminding himself not to hold his breath for the judgement.

He'd managed to calm his mind by the time he was being unchained from the seat and put into line with the other prisoners so he was actually feeling slightly more ready for the hearing. Whatever happened today, he'd be prepared for. After all, there was really nothing he could do either way.

They were all put into a holding cell where they'd await their hearing coming up on the docket and he sat himself in the corner away from everyone else. Archie came to sit next to him but neither of them spoke and he suspected it was because they were both nervous. He didn't give any outward sign of his nerves but Archie gave off signs clearly as his legs bounced rapidly making the chain between the cuffs on his wrists rattle.

Jughead worked on putting it all out of his mind, attempting a sort of meditative state, until their names were called and they stepped up to be let out of the holding cell. He was a little surprised that they were going together given that their last names were so far apart meaning that they should be separated in the docket but he figured that maybe Mary had pushed for their hearings to be combined since they'd been charged together for the same crime. Whatever it was, he was glad to have Archie by his side.

The guard stopped them at the door to the courtroom and took off their cuffs before ushering them inside. Mary was sitting at a table with her briefcase in front of her and she gave them a reassuring smile when they were led over to take the seats next to her. The first thing Jughead noticed when he allowed himself to look around the room was that they weren't in a regular courtroom. There was a long table on a raised platform in front of them where there were five people sitting.

"Mom, what's going on?" Archie asked quietly and Mary leaned over to speak to them in a low voice. 

"They're the parole board." She said. "They'll likely read out your original charge, what you went to prison for in the first place, and then they'll start the hearing. They'll probably ask each of you some questions, just stay calm and answer them as honestly as possible. It's going to be okay." 

Jughead was unsure why she seemed so optimistic but he gave her a small smile anyway as he nodded. He didn't want his mood to affect her or Archie.

"Good morning gentlemen." The man in the middle spoke. 

"Good morning." They replied almost in unison.

"I am Commissioner Ludlow. With me today are Commissioners Thompson, Elovich, Martin, and Samuels." He said, motioning to each person in turn. They each gave a greeting and a polite nod before he picked up the paper on the desk in front of him. "Now, let's start with Mr. Andrews."

Archie stood from his chair and moved to the small podium in front of them. Jughead wondered if he was the only one who noticed his slightly shaking hands.

"You are Archibald Andrews, correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes sir." Archie nodded. 

"Mr. Andrews, it appears that this is your first appearance before the parole board. Is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes sir." Archie said once again.

"You are eighteen years old, is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes sir it is." Archie said.

"It appears that you were convicted in Riverdale, New York. Is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes." Archie nodded.

"Okay. It appears here that you were sentenced with manslaughter but were not convicted by a jury, rather that you took a plea bargain for a lesser sentence offered to you by the prosecuting attorney, is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes, that is correct." Archie said.

Jughead noticed the other commissioners taking notes on the pads in front of them and he took a moment to focus on his breathing. Mary seemed to notice his rocketing anxiety because she reached over and squeezed his arm lightly in a reassuring gesture.

"As a result of the plea bargain you were sentenced to four years in prison with time served, is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes." Archie answered.

"Thus far, you have served a year and a half of that time. Is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes." Archie answered.

"This conviction appears to be the only felony on your record and, indeed, the only crime on your record at all. Is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes sir." Archie answered.

"You have no other felony charges?" He asked. "No charges in other states?"

"No sir, I do not." Archie answered and Jughead closed his eyes and blew out a long breath. He already knew that his hearing would go differently from this question on because he did have a record.

"Alright. We have a risk assessment on file for you as required by state law that measures your rehabilitation for re-entry into the community. In your case, the assessment has you at low risk for repeated felony violence, low risk for arrest, and at low risk for absconding from parole. If released, would you anticipate yourself as being at low risk for public safety as suggested by your assessment or something else? What are your thoughts?"

"I don't believe myself to be a risk." Archie said. " What happened was a terrible tragedy and I'm sorry that I ever got involved in it. I truly never meant for anyone to get hurt and I do regret that it happened. More than anything, I just want to be able to move on with my life and hopefully be able to do some good while I've got the time."

"It states in your file that you have had no disciplinary issues while incarcerated, either in Leopold and Leob Juvenile Detention center or Shankshaw. Is that correct?" Ludlow asked.

"That's correct." Archie answered.

"Okay. In the event that you are paroled, do you have any plan on where you will live?" He asked. "Do you have any release plan?"

"Yes, sir, I do." Archie said. "In the event that I'm paroled, I would live with my father."

"Has this been discussed with him?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes." Archie said. "He lives on his own on account of my parents divorce and he has said that if I am released, I can come home to live with him."

"Alright. In terms of work, do you have a plan if you were to be released?" Ludlow asked.

"Yes. My father owns his own construction company and has agreed to employ me if I am released." Archie answered.

"Alright. Just one more question." Ludlow said. "It is my understanding that when you were first arrested and standing before the court, you intended to plead not guilty and were, according to the files, adamant about your innocence. Why, then, did you accept a plea deal?"

"I didn't think we'd win at a trial despite our innocence." Archie admitted. "The cards were stacked against us and though it's said that you're innocent until proven guilty, I've found that it's rarely how things actually play out, especially in a town like Riverdale. I saw no point in putting everyone through the stress and cost of a trial when I already knew the outcome."

"Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Andrews." Ludlow said. "You can take your seat now."

Archie stepped away from the podium and made his way back over to sit down. Jughead heard him let out a long breath and he clapped him on the shoulder lightly. The commissioners spent a few minutes after that writing on their papers and speaking quietly to one another before Ludlow shuffled the papers in front of him and turned back to look at them once more.

"Mr. Jones, please approach." He said.

Jughead pulled in another long breath before standing up and making his way to the podium. He focused on a spot on the wall directly behind Ludlow so that it would appear that he was looking at him but he wouldn't actually have to see any of the activity in front of him. He knew that it would keep him calm in the long run.

"You are Forsythe Pendleton Jones the third, is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes sir." He answered. 

He proceeded to go through the same questions that he'd asked Archie and Jughead answered them almost methodically until they finally reached the question that he'd been dreading since he'd heard them ask Archie.

"Now, this appears to be the first felony charge on your record but it is not the only thing on there. Is that correct?" He asked and Jughead sighed.

"Yes sir." He answered.

"It appears that you were arrested eight years ago for attempting to burn down Riverdale Elementary School. Is that correct?" He asked and Jughead nodded.

"It is true that I was arrested and charged for that but it was a complete misunderstanding." He explained. "I wasn't trying to burn anything down, I was just playing with a match and some teacher called the cops."

"Why would they do that?" Ludlow asked.

"I'm from the south side and in a town like Riverdale that means something." He said. "We were the kids who grew up in trailers and had to wear ripped clothing to school. Everyone judged us and were ready to jump at involving the police whenever we did anything at all without ever really taking a moment to consider that we weren't doing anything wrong. I'm not saying that I wasn't doing anything wrong, I shouldn't have been playing with matches in the first place, but I am saying that they blew it out of proportion. Nothing was even on fire."

"Thank you for your honesty about the situation, Mr. Jones." Ludlow said. "Now, do you have convictions in any other states?"

"No sir." He answered, confused that they'd moved on so quickly. He'd honestly expected way more questions about his record but none of the commissioners even seemed to care all that much now that he'd answered.

"Okay. We have a risk assessment on file for you as required by state law that measures your rehabilitation for re-entry into the community. In your case, the assessment has you at low risk for repeated felony violence, low risk for arrest, and at low risk for absconding from parole. If released, would you anticipate yourself as being at low risk for public safety as suggested by your assessment or something else? What are your thoughts?" Ludlow asked. 

It was exactly the same thing they'd said to Archie and it threw him for a moment as he was still caught up in his surprise but he managed to force himself to focus once more.

"I don't believe myself to be a threat at all." He said, aware that his wording was similar to Archie's. "What happened was horrible. It's always horrible for someone to die so young and I am sorry for the pain that his family must be going through. When we went to Shadow Lake that weekend, we never intended for what happened to happen and I will carry the guilt with me for the rest of my life. I wish that I could go back and change it but we can't. All we can do now is move forward and try to do better with the time we have left. I know that we can never make amends to his family but I will work to make up for what happened for the rest of my life, I promise you that."

"Thank you for your words, Mr. Jones. I do hope that you are sincere in your feelings regarding them." Ludlow said before clearing his throat. "Now, if you are paroled, do you have an idea on where you will live?"

"No, sir." He said with a sigh.

He knew he couldn't live in the trailer with his father if he got out given that he was also a convicted felon and it would be illegal for them to live together.

"Actually, may I speak?" Mary asked causing him to glance over his shoulder at her.

"You may." Ludlow allowed.

"If Mr. Jones is paroled, Fred Andrews has spoken to a landlord who is willing to rent him an apartment and he has also agreed to give Mr. Jones a job working on his crew so that he may be able to look after himself." She said and Jughead looked at her with wide eyes.

He'd known about the job because Fred had visited him and they'd spoken about it but he hadn't known anything about the apartment. He felt his heart clench in his chest as an immense feeling of love and appreciation for the Andrews' flowed over him. They didn't have to look after him as they did, he wasn't even their kid after all, but neither of them had ever treated him as anything other than a part of their family.

"Very well." Ludlow nodded, scribbling some note on his pad of paper. "I have one last question. Just as I asked Mr. Andrews, why did you accept the plea deal when you claimed you were innocent?"

"I didn't feel as if I had another choice." Jughead answered honestly. "The cards have been stacked against me since I was born and the world around me seemed intent on keeping me on the ground. I'm not trying to excuse our actions but we'd had a rough year before all of that happened and we were dealing with things that no teenager should have to and I was just tired. Tired of fighting, of trying to change people's minds about the south side, of everything really. I took the plea deal because I lost hope and I gave up. That's the honest truth of it."

"Thank you for your honesty." Ludlow said. "You may sit."

He went back to the table while they once again began writing and talking to each other and Archie looked at Mary.

"What happens now?" He asked.

"They'll allow me to speak on your behalves and then they will likely leave the room to deliberate." She said. "You will likely be taken back to the holding cell until they've had time to speak to one another and make a decision. After that, you'll be brought back in to hear their decision."

"What happens if they decide against giving us parole?" Jughead asked.

"Then you'll be transported back to Shankshaw and another parole hearing will be scheduled. The usually put at least twenty-four months between hearings if they deny parole which would mean you'd only have six more months to serve at the next hearing and it would probably be useless to even appeal for parole then." She said and he nodded.

"And what happens if we get parole?" Archie asked, seeming doubtful but Jughead gave him credit for asking anyway.

"You'll still be transported back to Shankshaw because they'd have to process your discharge there and return any personal belongings that they're holding." She said. "And then, you'd be released. Fred is already up near the prison just in case and he's just waiting for my call. He'll be there to pick you up when you come out."

"Really?" Jughead asked. "He drove all the way up there even though we might not get out?" 

"Yeah." She said. "I have a good feeling about today though boys. Try to be a little positive."

"Attorney Andrews, we'll hear your case now." Ludlow said and she smiled at them before she stood and approached the table.

"Thank you for allowing me to speak, Commissioners." She said before she began. "My clients both have stable homes and jobs waiting for them if they are released and I truly believe that neither of them pose any threat to public safety. They are, at heart, good people, they just made a mistake. A tragic one, yes, but a mistake all the same. I'm not trying to downplay the seriousness of their conviction but I do want to highlight that they took responsibility for it and readily expressed remorse. They have clean disciplinary records from their incarcerations which, to me, speaks to their character and lack of threat." She turned to look at them for a moment before looking at the commissioners once more. "In conclusion, I truly believe that they are good candidates to receive parole."

"Thank you, Attorney Andrews." Ludlow said. "We will take all testimony given today into consideration. The board will now retire to deliberate."

They all stood up, taking their notepads with them, and left the room through a door behind the table they'd been sitting at and the guard approached him and Archie once more. Mary gave them both a hug before stepping away and allowing the guard to put their cuffs on once more.

"Don't lose hope." She said seriously. "It's going to be okay."

"We won't, Mom." Archie said and Jughead gave her a smile before the guard led them away.

* * *

Most of the prisoners they'd come with had already been through their own hearings when they returned because they were seeing a regular judge for sentencing or appeals rather than the parole board but they all had to stay in the holding cell anyway because he and Archie were waiting for their verdict.

About two hours into the wait, the guards seemed to pity all of them as they sat in the holding cell and brought them each a sack lunch that they ate quietly. Two of their fellow prisoners were playing cards in the corner while the rest of them were pacing or just sitting on the benches as they waited. Jughead, for his part, found himself staring at the clock mounted high on the wall just outside the cell.

He wasn't actually keeping track of the time but rather he was just watching the second hand tick by slowly. It was almost mesmerizing in his boredom but had the side effect of making him feel really tired and he yawned. Even Archie seemed to have moved past nervous and was now just picking at the paint on the bars absently.

Finally, just as the fourth hour rolled around, the guard approached the bars and unlocked the cell door before calling their names. Archie was on his feet so quickly it was almost like magic and made Jughead's eyes widen as he followed him more slowly.

"Thank God!" Archie exclaimed. "I was going a little crazy. At least at the prison we have books or the weight room to occupy us."

Jughead snorted and rolled his eyes as they were led toward the courtroom they'd been in before.

"It really wasn't that bad." He said and Archie raised a brow.

"Says the guy who was about to slump over into the floor." He said and Jughead shrugged.

"Okay, you've got a point there." He said.

Their cuffs were removed once more and they were ushered inside once more. The effect on them was immediate as they each remembered how serious this was, their joking nature draining from them in an instance, as they moved once again to take their seats.

"The board has deliberated and reached a decision." Ludlow said.

Jughead sat up straighter, his heart pounding even as he was sure they were about to be rejected, and he noticed Archie mirroring his pose. Archie reached out to grab his hand and Jughead held tightly as they waited.

"Given the testimony given by both of you and results of the risk assessments, the board sees it fit to grant you both early release." Ludlow said and Jughead was almost certain he stopped breathing and Archie's grip on his hand tightened. "Your parole will span for the remaining time of your sentence. Any violation, large or small, of your parole will land you immediately back in jail to serve out the remainder of your sentence as well as whatever sentence is attached to the parole violation. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." They responded together and Jughead was aware that they both sounded distant and breathy.

They were both silent and still for a few more moments before it finally hit him and he leapt up from his chair to embrace Mary. Archie wrapped his arms around both of them and all three of them had tears on their faces. He couldn't believe they were getting out.

"You're coming home." Mary said, her voice tear soaked.

"I can't believe it." Archie said, shaking his head.

"Me either." Jughead said.

It seemed almost like a dream and he had to pinch himself to convince himself it was real. They were going home, finally. It seemed almost too good to be true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this isn't exactly how the law works (they definitely wouldn't have a parole hearing jointly) and it takes much longer to actually receive a parole verdict but I've taken some creative liberties.


	3. Chapter 3

For the whole week after Fred told them about the parole hearing both she and Veronica had trouble sleeping resulting in nights spent sitting in the kitchen and talking quietly so as to not wake up the babies and she was still no closer to figuring out how to tell Jughead about Poppy if he was released and she knew that Veronica was the same. It was kind of a huge thing to drop on someone but she knew that it couldn't be avoided.

Part of her was annoyed by the anxiety running through her and a small petty part kept reminding her that he'd know about Poppy already if he didn't shut her out to begin with but she tried to squash that down. It wasn't helpful and she knew that she couldn't allow that part of her that was still bitter about the way things had ended screw this up. She could be annoyed and pissed at Jughead all she wanted but he still deserved to know about his daughter and Poppy deserved to have her father in her life and she wasn't going to mess that up for either of them.

On the day that their parole hearing rolled around, she and Veronica went to work like normal even when it was obvious to literally everyone that they were both seriously distracted. Fred had told them that he'd call when he had news either way so they were both just waiting anxiously for the phone to ring all while trying to distract themselves with work. Pop Tate was doing his best to keep them busy so they had less time to fret which she was actually thankful for as it meant she wasn't taking her phone out every ten minutes to check for an update. It made her anxiety much easier to handle.

The clock had just tipped over to two and the lunch rush had finally slowed down leaving only a few customers in the diner when her phone started ringing in her back pocket. She pulled it out quickly and Veronica sat the salt shakers she'd been refilling to the side as her head whipped over to look at her and Betty took a deep breath. 

_Whatever the news is, we'll deal with it._

She repeated those words to herself before she answered it. 

"Hey, Mr. Andrews." She said, forcing her voice to come out calm and cheery.

"Betty." He greeted. Veronica and Pop Tate were both looking at her with serious expressions on their faces making her pull the phone from her ear and put it on speaker so they could hear too.

"So, how did it go?" She asked quietly.

"The verdict took a while to come back." He started. "But they were both granted early release. They're coming home."

"Oh." Betty breathed out.

"They're really free?" Veronica asked in disbelief.

"They are." Fred said. "I'm going to pick them up now. We should be back in Riverdale in a few hours."

"Are you going to take them to your house?" Betty asked, still trying to process the fact that they were coming home. _Jughead was coming home_.

"Actually, I was going to bring them to Pop's." Fred said, his voice cautious. "They're going to figure out that you're both still in Riverdale anyway and you do need to speak to them about Poppy and Liam so I thought it would be best to just get it over with and move on."

She and Veronica looked at each other with wide eyes at his words, neither seeming to know what to say, leaving a dead silence on the phone until Fred seemed to clear his throat on the other end.

"Or we could figure something else out." He said, sounding awkward. "I just thought you wouldn't want to drag it out."

"No!" Betty said, shaking of the shock. "You're right Mr. Andrews, it's better to just get it over with."

"Yeah." Veronica agreed even though she looked less than sure about it. "Bring them to Pop's. We'll be ready."

"Could you give us a heads up when you're close though?" Betty requested. "Just so we're not blindsided."

"I will." Fred promised.

"Thank you for calling us, Mr. Andrews." Veronica said.

"It's not a problem." He said. "I'll see you girls in a few hours."

"See you then." Betty returned before hanging up.

She leaned against the counter and ran her hands over her face as she blew out a long breath. She felt Veronica lean next to her and she glanced over to see her staring at the wall blankly. It seemed that neither of them were entirely sure how to process the news.

"It's going to be okay girls." Pop Tate said, dragging them both out of their thoughts as they turned at once to look at him. "I've known you kids for a long time and I've seen you go through some of the hardest times together. You've always worked it out, eventually. This is just one more thing that you're going to have to overcome."

"I suppose you're right." Betty said with a sigh. "But it doesn't make this any easier."

"I wouldn't think so." Pop said. "But even if it's not easy, it's something that needs to be accepted so that you can work on overcoming it."

"You're right Pop." Veronica said finally. "We can't do anything about the outcome so we just have to be prepared for whatever their reaction is going to be. Either way, they're out of prison and that's a good thing. They didn't deserve to be there in the first place."

"Yeah." Betty agreed.

The three of them went back to work and though her anxiety ratcheted up to the maximum level she forced herself to keep going through the motions. Her heart rate was up and she felt like there was electricity flowing just under her skin but she couldn't do anything to calm herself with the knowledge that in just a few hours she'd be forced to face Jughead so she mostly ignored it.

She almost felt like running and just avoiding the whole thing but she knew, deep down, that that wasn't an option. She'd have to face this head on.

* * *

She jumped slightly when her phone buzzed in her pocket but she forced the smile to stay on her face as she finished taking the order of the older couple in the corner booth before she quickly made her way to the kitchen, grabbing Veronica from where she'd been behind the counter, and handed the order to Pop's quickly. Veronica looked at her in question until she removed her phone from her pocket to check the message.

_We're ten minutes out_.

She flipped the screen to allow Veronica to read it and her breath left her in a rush.

"Fuck." She said.

"Yeah." Betty agreed. Pop glanced over at them from where he was preparing the burgers.

"Everything alright girls?" He asked and Betty shook her head.

"They'll be here soon." She told him. "Fred says they're ten minutes out but the message came a few minutes ago while I was taking an order." 

"I don't think I'm ready for this." Veronica said, her breathing heavy. "I thought I could do this but I can't."

"Hey, it's okay." Pop said gently, looking at both of them in turn. "This is Jughead and Archie. You know them, you love them and they love you. Everything's going to be fine."

"It's been a year and a half." Betty said. "A lot has happened in that time. What if they've changed?"

"They can't have changed that much." Pop said reassuringly. 

The bell on the door rang and she flinched whole Veronica shook her head and leaned against the wall as her breath started coming faster. Betty moved to her while Pop turned toward the door leading to the kitchen to check through the small window to see who had come in. When he turned back to look at them, his face told her everything she needed to know.

"V, look at me." She said, grabbing her face gently. "Breathe before you hyperventilate."

"I can't do this." Veronica said breathlessly.

"Don't think about it." She said firmly. "Just breathe with me. Nice and slow."

She took deep even breaths until Veronica followed her and managed to calm herself slightly while Pop's looked at them with a troubled expression.

"I can go take their order if you girls can't handle it." He said gently and Betty shook her head.

"We still have to work Pop." She said. "Even if we don't take their order, they're going to see us."

"Betty, I can't." Veronica said softly.

"I know." She said before she took a long deep breath in and straightened her shoulders. "I'll do it." 

"Are you sure?" Pop asked and she nodded firmly.

"You were right before, we'll have to face them eventually." She said with a shrug, sounding more confident than she felt. "Might as well just get it over with."

She stepped toward the door, took another deep breath, and pushed it open. Her eyes searched the diner quickly and landed on Fred almost immediately. He'd sat in a booth toward the back of the diner and he was sitting in the side that faced toward the rest of the building. She wondered if that was intentional.

She let her eyes skip briefly over to the two boys sitting across from him. All she could see was the backs of their heads but she was so familiar with both of them that even if she didn't know they'd gotten out, she'd have been able to tell who they were. Fred's eyes met hers and they widened slightly but she gave him a reassuring smile, or at least as reassuring as she could manage, before she started toward their table.

"Hi, what can I get for you guys." She said, coming to a stop next to their table. She noticed both Jughead and Archie's head jerked toward her as the first word left her mouth leaving them staring at her as she smiled politely.

"Betty?" Archie said, her name coming out as a question.

"Archie." She nodded before her eyes flickered over. "Jughead. Fred told us you two were getting an early release. Welcome home."

"What are you doing here?" Jughead asked.

"I work here." She said, motioning to her uniform even though she knew that wasn't what he meant.

"You're supposed to be in college." He said, his voice showing confusion and a slight bit of annoyance. "Stanford, right?"

"It didn't work out." She said, her voice flat. "Now, what can I get for you?"

Fred cleared his throat. "I think we'll just get burgers and fries for the table."

"Of course." She said, forcing the smile back onto her face as she steadfastly ignored Archie and Jughead still blatantly staring at her. "I'm just gonna take your order to the kitchen."

She spun on her heal and walked away without another word all the while pretending that she didn't hear both begin unleashing a stream of questions on Fred. The kitchen door swung shut behind her and she leaned back on the wall to let out a ling breath. Veronica glanced at her while Pop took the order from her hand.

"That was quick." Veronica said and Betty closed her eyes for a moment.

"I was wrong." She breathed out. "I wasn't ready."

Veronica hugged her and they held each other tightly until Betty pulled back and cleared her throat. 

"We still have work to do." She reminded her. "The other customers are probably wondering where the hall we are."

"Right." Veronica nodded. "We can't just hide in here, as much as I seriously want to."

Pop reached out to squeeze their shoulders lightly. "You've got this."

"We've got this." Veronica said firmly, nodding her head.

"It's just Jughead and Archie." Betty said.

They glanced at each other, nodding once more, before they once again ventured out into the diner. She noticed their stares right away but she ignored it and Veronica seemed to take her lead as they moved to check on the other booths and bring out orders as they were finished. She couldn't pretend they weren't there but after a while she managed to block them out so that she could get her work done.

Finally, Pop hit the bell and notified her that their order was complete and she nodded as she slid the plates onto a tray and moved toward them. She lifted their plates and set them in front of each of them before sitting their milkshakes in front of their plates and giving them a polite smile.

"The milkshakes are on the house to welcome you back." She said. "Enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything else."

Before she could turn and walk away, the door opened once more, the ringing bell making her glance over.

"Hey Betts!" Sweet Pea called as he came into the diner and she turned toward him immediately as he began making his way over.

"Hey, Sweet Pea." She greeted, giving him a genuine smile rather than the polite professional on that had been on her face before. 

Sweet Pea came to a stop next to her and she noticed him glance at the table before doing a double take when he noticed Jughead and Archie sitting there. His eyes came to her and he had a question on his face. She gave him a look, shaking her head slightly, before he looked at them once more.

"Jones, Andrews. It's good to see you." He said, slinging his arm around her shoulders. "I'm just going to borrow your waitress for a minute if you don't mind."

He didn't wait for a response from any of them and instead steered her away, taking the tray from her hands and dropping it on the counter as they passed, before leading her outside. He only came to a stop once they reached his bike and he took his arm away as he turned to meet her eyes.

"I didn't know they were getting out." He said and she sighed.

"I know, I'm sorry. I meant to tell you that they had a parole hearing but it's been a hell of a week." She said.

"You think Jones is going to take over the Serpents again?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know." She said. "I don't think so though. It would violate his parole and I don't think he'd risk it. I'll keep you updated though."

"Alright." He nodded before he went quiet for a moment. "Are you doing alright? I know this must be stressful."

"My emotions are all over the place and I feel like I don't know how to process anything but I'll be fine." She said.

"Do they know? About Liam and Poppy?" He asked.

"Not yet." She shook her head. "We have to tell them, probably tonight."

"Are you gonna be okay?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yeah." She said before glancing back at the diner. Jughead was staring out the window at them with an expression on his face that she couldn't quite decipher and she knew that Sweet Pea noticed it as well. "Anyway, what are you doing here? Is something going on that you needed to talk to me about?"

After Veronica gave her half of her business, it gave her a little extra income to work with and she'd approached Cheryl with an idea. Together they'd purchased an abandoned warehouse in the south side and had it converted to a living space for the Serpents who'd lost their homes when Hiram Lodge was causing issues. They'd had communal bathrooms and showers put in and separated the building into rooms so everyone had their own space so that it was no sort of like a dorm in a college. Toni had technically taken over the Serpents after Jughead's arrest but the two of them worked together to help the other members and Sweet Pea was the one who lived on site with them so if there was ever a problem, he'd bring it to one of them so they'd be able to take care of it.

"No, not this time." He said, shaking his head. "I was just coming to pick up an order I called in."

"Oh." She said. "Either way, I'm thinking of coming down tomorrow just to check in anyway. I haven't been able to make a visit in a couple of weeks."

"It's alright." Sweet Pea said. "Everyone understands that you're busy with Poppy and working and all of that. They'll understand your distraction even more after they learn the news."

He jerked his head toward the diner and she sighed.

"Yeah." She agreed before taking a step back toward the diner. "I'll go get your order, it should be ready by now."

He nodded and she ducked back inside to find Pop holding out a large bag for her to take and she thanked him with a smile. She noted that Veronica was now standing by Fred and seemed to be speaking to everyone at the table before she ducked back out the door. Sweet Pea accepted the bag with a smile and a hug before glancing over her shoulder once more.

"You know that whatever happens, you can always count on the Serpents." He said and she nodded.

"I know, Pea." She said, squeezing his arm lightly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

He tucked the bag into the saddlebag on the side of his bike before he climbed on and drove away with a wave. She stood in the parking lot for a moment after he left to steel herself before going back in to face Archie and Jughead once more. It shouldn't be this hard to talk to the two boys she'd know since she was in diapers but it had been a long year and a half. A lot had happened in their time apart that made speaking to them more difficult than it had ever been before.

* * *

When it came time for the shift to change, Jughead and Archie were still in their booth, though Fred had left hours before, and she knew that it had to do with Veronica. She'd warned Betty when she came back in from speaking to Sweet Pea that she'd told both of them to come back when they got off work so that they could talk. They'd stayed instead, which had only made the rest of her shift more stressful because she could feel their eyes on her the whole time. She was almost tempted to spin around and yell boo. She bet at least one of them would jump, probably Archie.

She and Veronica took their time clocking out and she could feel the nervous energy radiating off of Veronica that matched hers as they moved to slid into the booth across from the boys. An awkward silence descended over the table almost immediately but she refused to be the one to break it so she waited for someone else to speak. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Archie cleared his throat.

"So, why are the two of you not in college?" He asked. She raised a brow at him, surprised he'd start with that question, and sat up straight.

"At lot has happened since the two of you were arrested." She answered.

"Like what?" Jughead asked as he studied both of their faces intensely, seeming to be trying to figure out the answer without them saying anything. She was almost certain that he wouldn't even be able to get close if he were to guess.

"Well first, we got emancipated from our parents and dropped out of school." Veronica said, her voice light as she tried to make a joke of it.

"Why?" Jughead asked.

"You know our parents Jughead." She said seriously. "Some things happened that they weren't happy with and they tried to make us do what they wanted instead of what we wanted so we did something about it."

"We split the business and got our GED's so that we could focus on other things." Veronica added.

"Focus on what other things?" Archie asked, his eyes flickering back and forth between them. "It doesn't make any sense. Like, we know your parents suck but what is it about this time that pushed you both over the edge? I mean, you both had perfect 4.0's in school, why would you drop out? I don't understand."

"Neither do I." Jughead put in. "Archie's right, you both had the potential to go to prestigious schools and then you'd be away from your parents anyway. What was so bad that it caused you to drop out and stay here in Riverdale?"

"We didn't say what happened was bad." Veronica said, shaking her head. "It was just.....complicated."

"Complicated?" Jughead asked, his voice sarcastic.

"Do you remember a couple of weeks before the two of you were arrested when we all had the flu?" Betty asked, looking at each of them.

"Yeah, we all hung out at my place and dad made us chicken noodle soup." Archie said with a shrug. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"When we all went to the doctor, they gave us antibiotics." Veronica said. "Remember?"

"Yeah." Jughead said hesitantly, his voice lilting so that it was almost a question.

"Well, the doctor failed to inform us that the antibiotics that we were taking could render other medications that we may be taking ineffective." Betty explained staring at them. She saw the beginnings of realization on Jughead's face but Archie still looked completely lost.

"Other medications like birth control." Veronica finished.

They both went quiet as they watched the wheels begin to turn in their heads before Jughead started shaking his head in disbelief.

"Betty, are you saying....." He trailed off, looking at her seriously.

"That I got pregnant?" She finished. "That's exactly what I'm saying. You can imagine how displeased my mother was with the whole situation."

"And my father was even less pleased when he found out that I was also pregnant." Veronica said, her eyes on Archie face. "He told me that he'd pay for me to have an abortion without ever even asking me if it was what I wanted."

"That's the reason we got emancipated and dropped out of school." Betty said. "We didn't want our parents to have anything to do with us or our children and we wanted to focus on making sure that we could take care of them ourselves."

The table went quiet once again, Archie seeming shell shocked while Jughead stared at them with disbelief on his face. She and Veronica glanced at each other as they waited for either of them to react and the tension was almost palpable. Finally, Jughead seemed to move past disbelief and into anger.

"You didn't think to tell us?" He asked, his voice laced with the anger she could see in his eyes and it sparked her own.

"Tell you?" She ground out. "Are you fucking kidding me Jughead?"

"We deserved to know." He snapped and she glared.

"Yeah, you did. And we tried, for weeks, to let you know but we couldn't. You know why? Because you shut me out and helped Archie do the same with Veronica. You refused to see me and didn't even read my letters. If you want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at yourself, not me." She pushed at Veronica lightly until she slid out and allowed her to stand. "If you want to meet your daughter, you can call me, but otherwise you can fuck off."

"She's right. You might be angry now but this isn't on us." Veronica said. "Now, we have to go pick up our kids."

They walked away from the table together and as they were leaving she heard Archie speak.

"What the fuck?" He sounded genuinely bewildered but she ignored it as she pushed the door open to step outside. Veronica's slight stutter in her steps let her know that she'd heard it as well but she didn't turn around even when she clearly wanted to.

When they got into the car, Veronica started it before placing her hands on the wheel and they looked at each other.

"Well, that didn't go how I expected." Betty said quietly.

"No, it didn't." Veronica agreed.

They pulled out of the lot a few minutes later and Betty sighed as she went over what had happened in her head. She hadn't expected them to be happy exactly but the anger had thrown her entirely and she wasn't entirely sure how to feel so she shoved it all away. She'd come back to it after she'd had some sleep. She felt like she needed to decompress from the day.


	4. Chapter 4

When he woke up the next morning, he was a little disoriented for a moment because he wasn't in his bed in his cell but then it all came crashing back down in his mind. The hearing, leaving the prison with Archie, going to Pop's. _Betty._

After Betty and Veronica had dropped the bomb on them, they'd stayed in the booth at Pop's for a while before either of them had the mental capacity to think about calling Fred to come back and get them. He had then brought Jughead to the apartment that he'd paid the deposit and first months rent for and Jughead had promised to pay him back but then he'd been left alone as Archie and Fred went home. Being left with his thoughts meant that he'd spent most of the night staring at the ceiling going over the conversation with Betty again and again.

He'd been stupid to react with anger, he knew that, after all she was right. It was his fault that he didn't know about his daughter, he'd been the one to cut her off, still it hurt to think he'd missed so much in the year and a half he'd been gone. Hell, he didn't even know his daughter's name or where she lived and he only knew he had a daughter and not a son because Betty had said it in anger. He knew he needed to talk to Betty about all of it but he didn't want to start another argument so he needed to collect his thoughts first.

He'd only been up for about half an hour when Fred showed up to take him to his first visit with his parole officer. His parole officer was located in an office in Rockland and he apparently served three counties including his own, Riverdale, and Greendale. Archie had a meeting with his parole officer in the same office but they'd been given different officers to cover their cases. The trip to Rockland was uneventful. Neither he nor Archie seemed to in much of a mood for talking, which he knew Fred noticed as he kept glancing at the two of them, but he didn't push them so Jughead tuned it out. The office, when they did arrive, was much smaller than he was expecting but he shrugged and opened the door of the truck to climb out anyway.

"I'll wait here for you boys." Fred said as Archie climbed out behind him.

"Thanks for driving us, Mr. Andrews." Jughead said and Fred shrugged.

"It's not a problem." He said, before jerking his head toward the door of the building. "Now, go on."

Archie and Jughead exchanged glaces before pushing the door open and going inside. There was a woman sitting at a little reception desk who asked to see their ID's before letting them sign in and telling them to sit in the chairs by the wall and wait to be called back. The small lobby reminded him almost of a doctor's office except the posters stuck on the walls around them were different. 

There was also a bulletin board next to the door that led back into the rest of the office that had a list of community outreach programs and job listings and Jughead found himself feeling relieved that he already had a guaranteed job waiting for him. He couldn't imagine how stressful it would be to be on parole and have to worry about finding a job on top of it, especially considering that not many jobs hired felons.

Archie was called back by his officer about twenty minutes later leaving Jughead bouncing his legs as he waited but thankfully it was only ten minutes after Archie disappeared through the door that he was called back himself. He was led back through a series of hallways before he found himself in a small office with a man sitting on the other side in front of a monitor.

"Mr. Jones, I must admit I had hoped not to ever see you here." His first words confused Jughead and his brow furrowed as he looked at the man.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" He asked and the man turned from the screen where he'd been typing something to look at Jughead fully.

"You don't remember?" He asked. "I was your father's parole officer. We met once when I came by to check in on him."

"Oh." Jughead said, studying the man's face as it came back to him. "Sorry."

"That's alright." The man shook his head. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another either way."

"Right." Jughead said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair.

"Anyway, since you don't remember me, I should probably reintroduce myself." The man said. "My name is Jack Walsh. I'll be overseeing your case until the end of your parole. You will come see me every month and we will discuss how things are going with your re-entry into the civilian population. You are required to inform me of any change in the status of your job or living situation. You will be subject to random visits and drug testing on top of the drug test you will endure each month. Do you understand these statements as they have been laid out?"

"Yes." Jughead said. "I understand."

"Good." Mr. Walsh said before clicking around on his computer. "Now, I just need to confirm a few things. Your date of birth is October 2, 2001."

"That's right." Jughead nodded.

"You now live in Sumner Apartment Complex in apartment 24C, in Riverdale. Is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes." Jughead confirmed.

"You are employed by Andrews Construction in Riverdale, New York. Is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes." Jughead said once more.

"Alright then." Mr. Walsh said, printing out a couple of papers. "I just need you to sign these confirming that all the information we have is correct and that you understand the conditions of your parole."

Jughead reached out and slid the papers over in front of him before scribbling his signature in the spots indicated before glancing at Mr. Walsh.

"That's it?" He asked.

"All that's left is for you to submit to a drug test and then we'll be finished." He said. "This first meeting is really just to confirm the information we have and for us to meet so there's no need to drag it out for longer than necessary as I'm sure you need to get to work."

"Alright then." Jughead shrugged and Mr. Walsh gave him a kind smile before standing and leading him back into the office a bit further for the drug test. It was a urine yest so it didn't take more than a few minutes before he was able to be cleared and leave the building.

When he got back outside, Archie was already waiting in the truck with Fred so he climbed back in and they were on their way back to Riverdale. It was quiet in the truck until they were almost halfway back to Riverdale and he finally decided to speak up.

"Mr. Andrews?" He asked and Fred glanced over at him.

"Yeah Jughead?" He asked.

"Where does Betty live?" He asked and he could see conflict on Fred's face immediately.

"I don't know if she'd want me to tell you." He answered finally.

"Look, I know." Jughead sighed. "I don't want to cause any problems, I just want to talk to her. I didn't take it the best when she told me about the baby and I want to apologize and maybe meet my daughter."

"And I want to meet my kid too." Archie put in. "I know that Betty and Veronica live together."

"I've spoken to Veronica." Fred said. "She's agreed to bring Liam over tonight so you can meet him. And Jug, I'll call Betty today and talk to her about it. If she says it's okay to tell you then I will after the shift ends and you can go talk to her then. Is that alright with everyone?" 

"I guess." Archie said.

"Yeah, it's alright." Jughead answered before biting his lip. "Could you tell me one thing though?"

"What?" Fred asked, caution clear in his tone. 

"You just said that Veronica and Archie's kid is called Liam." He said, looking over at the older man. "What's my daughter's name?"

Fred glanced over again and their eyes met for a moment. "Betty named her Poppy."

_Poppy_. It was a good name.

* * *

When shift ended hours later, Fred came to find him and gave him the address. Jughead was glad that Betty had agreed to give it too him and to let him come over, especially after he'd acted like an ass at Pop's, but he forced himself to go back to his apartment and shower instead of going straight to her place. There was no need for him to show up still stinking from work. His shower was still a quick one though as he was eager to speak to Betty.

His motorcycle had been brought to his apartment earlier in the day by his father so he thankfully didn't have to call Fred to drive him this time and he was able to make his way there himself. He memorized the address before leaving, surprised that it was on the south side, and managed to get there in twenty minutes. Riverdale wasn't the biggest town after all.

The house was small but still nice and it had a wrap-around porch that was painted a bright white color. The rest of the house was painted in a sunny yellow that made it look happy. As he parked his motorcycle in the drive, he noticed some toys scattered across the small front yard and a sandbox set up in the corner and it fully hit him in that moment that he had a child and so did Archie. He'd known that but somehow it hadn't seemed real until this moment and he had to force himself to take a deep breath before walking up the steps and knocking on the door.

It took a minute but finally the door opened to reveal Betty. Her hair was down around her face and she was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, looking much different than the put together version of herself that he'd seen in Pop's, and he had to fight down the urge to kiss her. That would be a bad idea and she'd probably deck him if he did so he refrained.

"Fred told me you were coming." She said after a moment.

"May I come in?" He asked, keeping his voice polite. She stared at him for a minute and he thought she might just slam the door in his face but finally she sighed and stepped to the side to allow him in. 

"We just finished dinner." She commented as she closed the door once more. "Would you like to meet her?"

"Could I?" Jughead asked, his heart leaping in his chest as he looked at her and she waved for him to follow her.

They ended up in the kitchen, where there was a small table set up with two highchairs on either side of it, and one was occupied by a child. He couldn't see much of her, only her dark hair, as Betty moved to wipe her face and hands with a wipe before she slid the tray off of the highchair and lifted the baby out of it. She smiled as she tickled the baby's side and his heart clenched as he heard a small giggle.

Betty turned toward him and he saw his daughter fully for the first time. Her dark hair curled around her ears and she had a small button nose but what caught his attention the most was her eyes. They were Betty's. It astonished him as he stared at her, the living breathing evidence of their love for one another, and he thought that he might never love anything as much as he did this little girl.

"Do you want to hold her?" Betty asked.

She didn't wait for him to say anything before she was pushing the baby into his arms and he reacted quickly to get a hold on her before Betty withdrew her hands. The baby looked up at him, totally chill with being held by someone she'd never been around before, and he gave her a small smile.

"Hi." He said, his voice going gentle.

A grin erupted on her face and he was able to see the two bottom teeth poking through her gums as she reached up to pat his cheeks with her hands and Betty snorted.

"I'd watch her hands if I were you." She warned. "She likes to grab your hair and yank."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." He said, glancing at her and Betty raised an eyebrow.

"If you say so." She said. "Now come on, it's bath time."

She turned and began walking away, not waiting fore a response once more, and he found himself following after her as she led them upstairs and into a small bathroom where she filled a baby tub with water. Poppy wrapped her hand his shirt and Betty had to practically peel her off his side to undress her and sit her into the tub a few minutes later but once she was in the water she seemed happy enough.

Jughead stood next to Betty and observed her as she gently ran a wash cloth over Poppy's skin and wet her hair while she splashed the water with her hands. When she moved on to wash Poppy's hair, her fingers moved in gentle motions to lather up the wash before she covered her face with her hand and poured water over her until the soap was gone. By the end of it though, Betty was covered up to her elbow in water and her t-shirt had wet spots everywhere from the splashing but she didn't seem to mind.

"Could you hold that towel out?" Betty asked, pointing to a soft towel that she'd sat on the sink and he moved quickly to follow her instruction.

As he was holding it out, she lifted Poppy from the bath and turned to push her into the towel before taking the edged from his fingers and wrapping them around her until she was like a little burrito. They left the bathroom and moved into the room across the hall where Betty flipped on the light and he realized that it was a nursery. There were two cribs on opposite sides of the room making him aware that Liam and Poppy shared the room. 

Betty laid Poppy on her back on the floor before moving around the room to grab things from the drawers around them before sitting them on the ground beside Poppy. He sat down next to her when she moved to the floor and began drying Poppy's skin and hair more thoroughly. It was only after she squeezed some lotion onto her hands and began running it over Poppy that he spoke again.

"Do you bathe her every night because that seemed a little messy?" He asked and she shrugged.

"Yeah." She answered. "Usually we bathe her and Liam together so between me and Veronica we can sometimes managed to keep them from making such a huge mess but it comes with the territory and it's only water anyway. It's not a big deal."

"How do you two manage to take care of two babies while working and doing everything else?" He asked, feeling guilty for not being here in the first place. "It seems like a lot of work."

"It is." Betty said, shrugging again as she put a diaper on Poppy and dressed her in a footed sleeper. "But we manage. We keep to a strict schedule at work and with the kids. It just works for us."

"What's the schedule like?" He asked. He figured it was something that he should learn even if he wanted to ever be involved in helping raise Poppy.

"Veronica and I work from six am to five pm and then we pick the kids up from daycare and bring them home." She started. "We have plan out our dinners each week so it's usually done by five thirty since we already have everything ready for it and then we sit down to eat, which usually takes a little while with the kids. Then, at six thirty it's time for a bath and story and they're in bed by seven twenty. We also have a weekly mommy and me group on Sundays which is our day off from work and the kids have to opportunity to spend time with other kids their age."

"That seems like a lot to keep track of." Jughead commented.

"It is." She said. "And that's just the normal things. We also have to arrange the schedule when Mary, Fred, or FP want to spend time with the kids or when Cheryl and I meet up so that Poppy can spend time with her cousins. Not to mention when Veronica and I spend time with our other friends. It's complicated, that true, but you adapt and then it doesn't really seem so difficult."

She lifted Poppy into her arms and moved to grab a book from the small book shelf in the corner before turning Poppy in her arms and beginning to read the story to her. Jughead watched as she pointed things out in the book to their daughter and repeated their names a couple of times before moving on and Poppy stared at the pages happily until Betty finished and put the book back. She lifted Poppy to her shoulder and patted her back as she flipped the lights off and instead turned on a small cube on the dresser that lit up and played soft lullabies.

After a few minutes, she laid Poppy down in the crib and led him out of the room quietly. She closed the door with a doft click and he noticed the baby monitor in her hand as he glanced over his shoulder at the door.

"She wasn't fully asleep." He said sotly.

"She will be soon." Betty told him. "It's better to lay them down before they're fully asleep so they can learn to fall asleep on their own rather than being rocked to sleep."

"Noted." He said and she glanced over her shoulder at him as she led him back down the stairs but she didn't say anything.

* * *

They ended up back in the kitchen and she began cleaning up the dishes and putting them in the sink before she wiped down the high chair tray with a disinfectant wipe. He watched her quietly, chewing on his lip, before he finally spoke.

"I noticed that there was a picture of me on the mobile above Poppy's crib along with a few others." He said and Betty looked at him fully for the first time since he'd arrived.

"I wanted her to know who you were, even if you couldn't be here." She said.

It hit him then that she'd never tried to erase him from her life even when she'd been rightfully pissed at him shutting her out. She could have easily said fuck it and closed him out completely but she hadn't. She kept a picture of him in their daughter's room and let his father spend time with her even when he hadn't been here. He'd shut her out and she hadn't let it affect their daughter when she easily could have. It was clear from her words that she wouldn't have bad mouthed him to their daughter even if he hadn't gotten out and that she would have told Poppy about him. That realization made him feel even worse about shutting her out in the first place and for how he had reacted when she told him about Poppy.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"For what?" She asked but her tone let him know that she knew what he was apologizing for and just wanted him to say it out loud.

"For reacting the way I did when you told me about Poppy." He said seriously. "You were right, it was on me."

"Why did you shut me out, Jughead?" She asked, her voice quiet. "I thought we would make it through anything, we'd already been through so much after all, but then you just cut me off. It was like you didn't even care."

"I did care, Betty." He said. "I was just trying to do the right thing. I wanted you to get everything you wanted out of life and I didn't want to be the reason that you didn't. I didn't want to hold you back."

"And you thought cutting me out of your life was going to do that?" She asked. He ran his hands over his face and sighed in frustration.

"We weren't how the story was supposed to go." He said.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She asked.

"Me and you. The straight-A cheerleader and the loner weirdo from the south side. We're never how the story is supposed to end." He said seriously. "In all of the books and the movies, you end up with the quarterback, with Archie. Even before I got arrested, there was always that little niggling feeling in the back of my mind that was sure we'd never work out. Eventually, one day, you'd finally realize that you'd made the wrong choice and it would all be over. That's how I saw our story ending. So when I got arrested, I used the excuse given to me and I cut you off before you could come to your senses and leave me yourself."

"Did you really believe I would do that?" She asked, sounding hurt. "I loved you, Jughead. I would never have just walked away. We're not some stupid story in a book or a movie, we're real. There's no script, no pointless plot or forgone conclusion. There's just us and the fact that you thought I would just wake up one day and decide that our relationship, one that we built over years on love and trust, wasn't what I wanted is frankly stupid. You cut me off because you thought I'd abandon you which tells me that you never really believed I was invested in our relationship which, I've got to tell you, hurts."

He forced himself to ignore the fact that she said _loved_ , in the past tense, and tried to focus on everything else she'd said. 

"I'm sorry." He repeated softly. "I thought if I made the choice to end it, it wouldn't hurt as much as if you walked away but it did. It hurt so fucking much Betty."

"And yet, you still did it." She said, shaking her head. "If it hurt so much, you could have stopped it easily anytime in the last year and a half. You could have sent a letter or called me but you didn't."

"If I had known - " He started.

"What? You'd have reached out?" She snapped. "Is that what you were going to say? If you knew about Poppy, you'd have called? Because you know, if you hadn't cut me off in the first place you _would_ have known about her long before now."

"Look, I can't go back and change things and neither can you." He said, keeping his voice low and even so as to not piss her off even more. "But we can move on from it. I apologize for hurting you, truly I do, and I'll do my best to avoid doing so in the future. That being said, I want to be a part of Poppy's life and I want to work on mending our relationship, if you'll let me. Will you?"

Betty stared at him for a long moment, seeming to think his words over seriously, and she opened her mouth to answer moments before the sound of a key turning in the front door distracted both of them.

"That's Veronica." Betty said, moving around him to leave the kitchen.

He followed after her slowly and when they rounded the corner, he found that it was indeed Veronica and that she had a baby in her arms. Betty moved toward her and took the baby from her so that she could take off her jacket and hang it up before handing him back. He knew that this had to be Archie and Veronica's son, Liam. After Veronica had the baby back in her arms, her eyes flickered over to him for a moment before coming back to Betty.

"Poppy asleep?" She asked.

"Yeah." Betty answered. "You should be able to put Liam down without waking her though you might want to read his book to him before going in rather than trying to read it to him in the nursery."

"Yeah, I will." Veronica said before her eyes came back to him once more. "You alright down here?"

She made no attempts to hide that she was asking about him but he couldn't blame her for her obvious anger. He had kind of acted like a dick at Pop's.

"It's fine." Betty said, glancing over at him. "Jughead was just leaving anyway."

He looked over at her but didn't comment on her words and Veronica nodded before turning toward the stairs and making her way up them as she spoke softly to the baby in her arms. Betty turned towards him and motioned him toward the door, taking his jacket from the rack and handing it to him, before opening the front door and leading him out. He turned back to look at her as he stepped on to the porch and noted the thoughtful expression on her face.

"I'll let you." She said and he was confused for a moment before realizing that she was answering his question from before. "But you've got a long road to go before we're anywhere close to where we were before. Don't make me regret giving you a chance, Jughead."

"I won't." He promised, happiness thrumming under his skin. "I swear it."

He'd do whatever he had to to fix this. Betty and Poppy were the most important people in his life now and he would not fuck it up again.

**Author's Note:**

> For this story, you're going to have to suspend your disbelief that no one else would have told Archie and Jughead about the babies even if Betty and Veronica couldn't and just roll with it.


End file.
